Ever since I was first invited to write for
the Celtic Guide I’ve been looking for an
opportunity to share the sights and history of
my home town. This month’s theme of Celtic
Vacations has given me just that opportunity.
I live in a small town in the southeast of
Ireland, in County Cork. That town is called
Youghal, or Eochaill in the old Irish tongue,
which means ‘yew forest’ (so called for the yew
trees that used to surround the town).

It was once one of the busiest ports in Ireland
and England, second only to Bristol, and it was
completely surrounded by fortified town walls
and it’s battlements. There is a large section of
these walls still standing.
This town has been witness to some
interesting (and bloody) events and to some
famous (or infamous, as the case may be)
characters. If the stones could talk they would
have many a tale to tell.
It has miles of blue
flag beaches (if the
Irish weather provides
some sunshine) and
beautiful vistas that
provide a lovely town
to relax in.
And, it is close to
the cities of Cork and
Waterford if you’re in
the mood for a shopping
trip.
I’m going to share
some of these places
and people with you
plus a short tale of the
most interesting points
in the town’s history

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The earliest evidence of settlement in
Youghal is from Mesolithic times, some 8,000
years ago. Artifacts that have been found include
a stone backed blade and a mudstone axe. Some
arrowheads were also found in what is now the
outskirts of the town.
The Celtic culture arrived around 2,500 years
ago and many fine fortified enclosures, called
raths, survive in the countryside surrounding
Youghal. One of the earliest settlements
would most likely have been a rath and this is
remembered in the name of a very old road on
the outskirts of the town walls called Raheen
Road.
The earliest sign of Christianity in Youghal
is from the 5th century and was the site of the
church of Coran. The holy well of St. Coran is
still on the site.
In the 9th century the town played host to
the Vikings. They established a settlement
here and used the town to invade the wealthy
monasteries including nearby Dungarvan and
Malona Abbey. It is recorded that, in 864, a
battle ensued between the neighbouring Deise
clan and the Deise destroyed the Norse fort. No
evidence has been found to tell the location of
the fort, but a stone in the trancept of St. Mary’s
Church still bears the faint carving of a Viking
longship. Youghal received its first charter from
King John in the 13th century and gained great

power and influence in Europe as an
important port. It suffered greatly during
the plague and is thought to have lost
half it’s population.
During the Desmond Rebellion the
town was sacked and the garrison was
burned. Due to poor maintainance, the
town soon fell to the rebels and the
fortifications were broken. A few weeks
later the English retook the town led by
the Earl of Ormond, and they reoccupied
the town. The lord mayor was then
hanged from the door of his residence
as punishment for failing to maintain the
towns defences.
One of the famous characters (and the
namesake of a hotel) was Sir Walter Raleigh.
He came to Ireland as part of an army sent
here to put down the Desmond Rebellion. He
was given 42,000 acres of land in Munster and
his house, Myrtle Grove, was built in the 16th
century. It was originally the residence of the
college warden. Its exterior was altered in the
16th, 18th and 19th century’s but still keeps
some of its original character. Some internal
features possibly date back to the 1580’s.
In 1585, Raleigh planted what are thought
to be the first potatoes in Ireland and also the
first tobacco. There’s a funny story regarding
the tobacco. Sir Walter lit up his pipe, much to
the horror of one of his servants who, for the
first time seeing someone smoking, thought
his master was on fire and proceed to throw a
bucket of water over Raleigh. He was the mayor
of Youghal from 1588 to 1589 (which was
probably for the best, seeing how precarious the
job title seems to have been to some). He sold
all his possessions and land to Richard Boyle
in 1602, which brings us to our next person of
interest.
Richard Boyle arrived in Ireland in 1588
almost penniless and with a stroke of luck
married a wealthy heiress in 1595. The yew trees
of Youghal were used to feed his ironworks and
he also exported them abroad.

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A cannon that is thought to have been made
This beautiful monument is made from seven
by Boyle’s ironworks is still in the gardens of different types of marble and still retains a lot of
the college that was later established from his its original paintwork. I’ve spent hours gazing
residence.
at it picking out all the little details.

There are still some remnants of his influence
Boyle died in 1643 and was buried in the
in town including his Alms houses and his church.
monument in St. Mary’s Church. The Alms
I will now give you some of the history of
houses he built were for six retired soldiers some of the buildings from the other photos:
and they were given the princely sum of £5
per annum. This was later extended to widows.
They provide a similar service today and are
still relatively original. He also renovated the
south trancept of St Mary’s Church (later called
Boyles Chapel) after it had been damaged during
the Desmond Rebellion.

ST. MARY’S COLLEGIATE CHURCH
The church is thought to have been a
monastic settlement of St. Declan of Ardmore
(circa 450).
It was rebuilt in the Irish Romanesque style
around the year 750 and the great nave was
erected in 1220. The roof timbers have been
Boyle built a magnificent memorial to carbon dated to around 1170. In the early 13th
himself depicting him, his two wives and some century there was a rebuilding under the master
of his 15 children. Some of these are depicted masons of 4 local guilds. Their marks can be
lying down holding skulls (denoting that they seen on the gothic arches. It was on the 27th
died in infancy). One of his children was later December when it was made into a collegiate
known for Boyle’s Law in chemistry.
church with the foundation of Our Lady’s
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College of Youghal, by the Earl of Desmond,
Thomas Fitzgerald. It is a building of great
historical importance for Ireland and is a
national monument. The stained glass windows
in the photo show the coat of arms of important
families in the town at the time

CLOCK GATE
As I mentioned Youghal was one of the
most significant maritime centres of medieval
Ireland, commanding important trading routes
to northern and western Europe. Built into the
town walls were heavily guarded gates. When
the town expanded south, a new ‘base’ or outer
town (for the lower classes), also walled, was
built alongside the inner town.
A massive battlemented south
gate was built (depicted in the
Pacata Hibernian in 1633). It was
comprised of a pair of circular
towers connected by a portcullis
and provided access between
both districts and also doubled as
a prison. It was renamed Trinity
Gate.
The gate was originally
equipped with a sundial, but
on the 28th April 1620 the
corporation ordered that a clock
be placed there. In 1622 Balthazar
Portingale was appointed as clock

keeper and given free lodgings in exchange
for ringing the bell. In spite of repairs it began
to deteriorate and on the 20th October 1776 it
was decided to demolish and replace it with a
gaol and gaoler’s house with a proper building.
The current building you see now was built in
1777 and it was enlarged some years later
because of the amount of people arrested as
rebels. It was also used as a public gallows
and many people were hanged from the
windows including some members of the
united Irishmen. The building became a
symbol of terror and tyranny, a reputation
it kept until 1837. It has not been in
public use since the 1970’s when it was a
museum. It is currently under renovation
to be opened once again to the public.
WATER GATE
This used to be the only access from the
quay and was one of the busiest places in
town. It is known locally as Cromwells Arch as it
was from here that he left Ireland in 1650s after
he had overwintered in the town. This was after
his campaign (or more accurately slaughter)
in Ireland. It was originally built in the 13th
century and was restored in the 18th century,
and lies adjacent to the site of the exchange and
a stonesthrow away from the clock gate.

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for the filming of the movie Moby
Dick. The pub that was used as the
filmaker’s HQ was renamed Moby
Dick’s. The exchange building was
also used as a courthouse.
THE LIGHTHOUSE
The picturesque (as I’m sure you
will agree) lighthouse is situated
at the entrance to the harbour.
The Geraldine owners of the town
originally built a tower on the sight
and generously funded the nuns of
the Chapel of St. Anne under the
condition that they maintain the light in the
THE EXCHANGE
The first was built in 1672 and was situated tower. It was demolished in 1840 to make way
just outside the town walls fronting onto the for the current lighthouse to be built, due to the
medieval quay. It was once a theatre where groups large number of vessels using the harbour, which
from all over would come to perform here. The was over 500 circa 1850.Construction began in
immediate area including the dock was used 1852 and it was made from granite.

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THE RED HOUSE
Built in18th century for the Uniacke
family, it is thought to be the only
example of the Dutch or Queen Anne
style town house in use as a private
house in Ireland.
NORTH ABBEY RUINS
The Dominican Priory was founded in
1268 by Thomas Fitzmaurice Fitzgerald,
whose grandfather had founded the
abbey in South Abbey. It was initially
dedicated to the Holy Cross but was
changed to Our Lady of Graces.
This was brought about by the
rediscovery of a small ivory statue of the
madonna and child. This made the priory
the centre of Marian worship for several
centuries till it was dissolved in the 16th
century. That statue can now be found
in Cork City and is said to have caused
some miraculous healing. If I remember
correctly it was originally washed up in
the centre of a solid oak log, which was
very easy to lift and was said to have
given a blind man his sight back. Some
ruins of the abbey still remain and it
is situated in the main cemetery of the
town.
As you can see it is a town
steeped in history and I hope
you have enjoyed the trip
through time and the history
of my town. I love walking
past these places everyday
and I always try to imagine
the things that have happened
there. I also loved getting
the opportunity to share my
photos with everyone. I have
also included an old map of
the town so you can see the
set up of the town walls way
back when.
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